2.Samuel 4 | New International Reader’s Version Nuova Riveduta 2006

2.Samuel 4 | New International Reader’s Version

Ish-Bosheth is murdered

1 Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Then he wasn’t so brave anymore. And all the Israelites became alarmed. 2 Two men in Ish-Bosheth’s army led small fighting groups that attacked their enemies. The names of the men were Baanah and Rekab. They were sons of Rimmon from the town of Beeroth. Rimmon was from the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is considered to be part of Benjamin. 3 That’s because the people who used to live in Beeroth had run away to Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders to this day. 4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son named Mephibosheth. Both of Mephibosheth’s feet were hurt. He was five years old when the news that Saul and Jonathan had died came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran. But as she hurried to get away, he fell down. That’s how his feet were hurt. 5 Rekab and Baanah started out for the house of Ish-Bosheth. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. They arrived there during the hottest time of the day. Ish-Bosheth was taking his early afternoon nap. 6 Rekab and his brother Baanah went into the inside part of the house. They acted as if they were going to get some wheat. Instead, they stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach. Then they slipped away. 7 They had gone into the house while Ish-Bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them. They travelled all night through the Arabah Valley. 8 They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to King David at Hebron. They said to him, ‘Here’s the head of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul. Saul was your enemy. He often tried to kill you. Today the LORD has paid back Saul and his family. He has let you get even with them. You are our king and master.’ 9 David gave an answer to Rekab and his brother Baanah. They were the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth. David said, ‘The LORD has saved me from every trouble. 10 Someone once told me, “Saul is dead.” He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed him. I had him put to death in Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! And that’s just as sure as the LORD is alive. 11 Now you evil men have killed a man in his own house. He hadn’t done anything wrong. You killed him while he was lying on his own bed. You spilled his blood. So shouldn’t I spill your blood? Shouldn’t I wipe you off the face of the earth?’ 12 Then David gave an order to his men. They killed Rekab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet. They hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they buried the head of Ish-Bosheth in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.

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Nuova Riveduta 2006

Morte di Is-Boset

1 Quando il figlio di Saul* ebbe udito che Abner era morto a Ebron, gli caddero le braccia. Anche Israele fu nello sgomento. 2 Il figlio di Saul aveva due uomini che comandavano bande armate. Uno si chiamava Baana, l’altro Recab; erano figli di Rimmon di Beerot, della tribù di Beniamino, perché anche Beerot è considerata come appartenente a Beniamino, 3 sebbene i Beerotiti si siano rifugiati a Ghittaim, dove sono rimasti fino al giorno d’oggi. 4 Gionatan, figlio di Saul, aveva un figlio storpio, il quale aveva cinque anni quando arrivò da Izreel la notizia della morte di Saul e di Gionatan. La balia lo prese e fuggì; in questa sua fuga precipitosa il bambino cadde e rimase zoppo. Il suo nome era Mefiboset. 5 I figli di Rimmon, il Beerotita, Recab e Baana, andarono dunque nelle ore più calde del giorno in casa di Is-Boset, il quale stava facendo il suo riposo pomeridiano. 6 Penetrarono fino in mezzo alla casa, come volendo prendere del grano; lo colpirono al ventre e si diedero alla fuga. 7 Entrarono in casa mentre Is-Boset era steso sul letto nella sua camera: lo colpirono, lo uccisero, lo decapitarono; poi presero la sua testa e camminarono tutta la notte attraverso la pianura. 8 I due portarono la testa di Is-Boset a Davide, a Ebron, e dissero al re: «Ecco la testa di Is-Boset, figlio di Saul, tuo nemico, il quale cercava di toglierti la vita; oggi il Signore ha fatto vendetta per il re mio signore, su Saul e sulla sua discendenza». 9 Ma Davide rispose a Recab e a Baana suo fratello, figli di Rimmon il Beerotita, e disse loro: «Com’è vero che vive il Signore, il quale mi ha liberato da ogni angoscia, 10 quando venne colui che mi disse: “Ecco, Saul è morto!”, pensando di portarmi una buona notizia, io lo feci prendere e uccidere a Siclag, per ricompensarlo della sua buona notizia; 11 quanto più adesso che uomini scellerati hanno ucciso un innocente in casa sua, sul suo letto, non dovrei chiedervi ragione del suo sangue sparso dalle vostre mani e sterminarvi dalla terra?» 12 Davide diede l’ordine ai suoi uomini, ed essi li uccisero; troncarono loro le mani e i piedi, poi li appesero presso lo stagno di Ebron. Presero quindi la testa di Is-Boset e la seppellirono nella tomba di Abner a Ebron.